Apparatus for the fluid treatment of fabrics in rope form

ABSTRACT

Apparatus to fluid treat a plurality of pieces of fabric sewn together and made into rope form. The rope is caused to follow a helical path in the apparatus by the use of an endless conveyor which is operated intermittently to move the fabric longitudinally of the fluid-treating chamber.

United States Patent [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [72] Inventor Charles L. Beasley Clemson, SC.

e "M .w u r MM P r mu m w a k PZ 48 36 99 ll MM m m 54 79 E W 89 a 57 m 1 n .m t a w r 0 C m r a e s e R m ollm 77 99m 11M 3 4 21m 8 ..l mm l ZMRMW 0. de N 66 M wwm fla AFPA NHN 247 Attorneys Norman C. Armitage and H. William Petry [54] APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FABRICS IN ROPE FORM 12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: Apparatus to fluid treat a plurality of pieces of fabric sewn together and made into rope form. The rope is caused to follow a helical path in the apparatus by the use of an endless conveyor which is operated intermittently to move the fabric longitudinally of the fluid-treating chamber.

PATENTEU SEP 1 4 Bil SHEET 1 BF 3 INVENTOR. CHARLESLBEASLEY ATTORN EY PATENTEDISEP I 419m sum-2 or a yllrlllllz IJIIII' F/GZ-Z- INVENTOR. CHARLES L. BEASLEY "ATTORNEY PATENTED SEP 1 4 I971 sum 3 OF 3 INVENTOR. CHARLES L.BE ASLEY BY ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FABRICS IN ROPE FORM This invention relates to an apparatus for treating fabrics in ropelike form. This ropelike form of the fabrics, for the sake of brevity, is herein referred to as rope form."

The treatment of textile fabrics in rope form by passage through a bath containing ascouring, bleaching, dyeing, or other treatingmedium, is known. Such apparatus is called a wince or winch machine. As heretofore constructed, winch machines were designed for treating the fabric in rope form with the opposite ends of each length of fabric treated, secured together and disposed over the winch roller and the peg rail in the form of an endless helix, with the lower portions of successive convolutions of the helix immersed in the bath of treating liquid. Both circular and elliptical winch rollers are known; the particular shape or roller used depends upon the fabric treated in the winch apparatus.

Winch apparatus as heretofore designed have a number of disadvantages, including the following. Loading of the machine involves a great deal of handling of the fabric, often wet fabric, until the whole amount of fabric to be treated has been installed over the winch roller and the cooperating peg rail with the two ends joined to form an endless strand which can be up to several thousand yards in length. The joining of the ends is usually effected by sewing-them together. Unless the strands forming the convolutions are nearly equal in length and under equal tension, in operation of the winch machine involving rotation of the winch roller, one convolution of the helix may gain at the expense of the preceding or following convolution due to slippage between the fabric and the surface of the winch roller, and this even though the winch roller is covered or surfaced with a nonslip material. The length of the fabric constituting a single convolution of the helix may be from yards or less to over 120 yards and the bulk of each convolution is at any given time packed in pleated formation along the sloping back and also along the base of the bath, with a relatively small proportion of the fabric situated above the surface or level ofthe treating liquid forming the bath. The force required to draw the fabric from the closely packed mass in the bath varies from one convolution to another and also depends onthe physical form of the fabric, being less for smooth, fine fabrics than for rough, coarse fabrics. Variable slippage, i.e., when one convolution of the helix gains in length at the expense of another, requires larger forces to draw the longer convolutions of the helix up over the winch roller, with the. consequent result that the whole operating system becomes unstable and entanglement of the convolutions of the fabric in rope form takes place.

Accordingly, winch apparatus as heretofore constructed, requires close attention by an operator to avoid dyeing defects and mechanical damage to the fabric. For satisfactory operation it is necessary to handle the fabric during its scouring, bleaching and dyeing so that the convolutions are wound and maintained at approximately equal length. Unless this is done, with some types of fabrics, when slippage occurs, with consequent unequal length of the convolutions of the fabric in rope form, the desired treatment of scouring, bleaching or dyeing cannot be carried out and the fabric has to be treated by a multiple strand operation in which each length of fabric is sewn into a separate loop. Such procedure is, of course, time consuming, wasteful of material and generally unsatisfactory.

With the introduction of fabricsmade partly or wholly of synthetic fibers, fabric processing temperatures have, in general, increased. Winch machines covered with hoods or supplied with live steam above the treating liquid are often required for processing such fabrics. In some cases, when dyeing temperatures in excess of 100 C. are required, the winch roller and its ancillary equipment is mounted within a completely closed vessel which can be pressurized. Under such circumstances, it is important that the convolutions forming the helix of fabric should be under control at all times; a departure from correct running with the successive convolutions of substantially the same length, may not be seen or be difiicult, if not impossible, to correct without great incon-- venience and risk both to the operator and to the fabric subjected to treatment.

Commercially available today is apparatus to treat fabrics in rope form which employs a helical feed screw guide to advance the convolutions of fabric in the fluid treating apparatus. This type of apparatus does-an excellent jobbut has certain limitations which are overcome by the herein described improvement. The commercially available screw type fluid treating apparatus does not provide flexibility in the number of set sizes that. are treated inthe modern day finishing plant. Also, it does not provide constant loop length for varying lengths of fabric. Furthermore, there is a tendency for one loop of fabric to jump out of one space and into another adjacent space containing another loop, causing the fabric to become tangled. It is also very difficult to provide an efficient stop motion for the screw type fluid treating apparatus.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus which will treat fabric in rope form and is flexible enough to handle various numbers of set sizes and various loop lengths. 5

Another object of the invention. is to provide apparatus which will advance fabric in rope form and maintain-each 'convolution of fabric in a separate space.

Other objects and advantages ofthe'invention will become readily apparent as the specification proceeds to describether invention with reference to the-accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a portion of the novel fluid sloping back l2.and a liquid supply chamber 14 separated from the fabric treating section 16 by a perforated baffle 18. Rotatably supportedby the shaft members 20 and 22 journaled in the chamber walls in a winch roller 24 which'is continuously driven by a motor (not shown) connectedtothe shaft 20. Winch roller 24 can be circular in configuratiomas shown, or elliptical in shape.

Operably associated with-the winch roller 24 is an endless chain 26 driven by sprocket 28 and idler sprocket 30 sup-- ported outside of the container 10. Theendless chain 26 has'a plurality of collar members 32 welded or otherwise sewed thereto into which are inserted removable rod members 34 so that adjacent rod members 34 form a space therebetweento accommodate the convolution of the fabric 36. Rotatably mounted in the sidewalls of the chamber'l0 is a rod member 38 which is located closely adjacent the top rod members 34 to form closed spaces between adjacent rod members 34 to prevent a convolution in any of the spaces betweenadjacentrods 34 from jumping out into the space occupied by another convolution of fabric.

The rod members 34 are removably supported so that the distance between adjacent rod members 34 can be varied in order to run various width and weight fabrics. This ability to varythe spaces provides greater flexibility in the use ofthe apparatus.

Looking at the right end of FlGS. l and 3, there-is shown a pair of switches 40 and 42. Mercury'switch 40 is connectedto the end of the rod member 38 and is activated if the rod member 38 is pivoted upwarddueto a knot or entanglement in the fabric 36 to stop the drive of the winch roller 24, the drive to the chain 26 and the drive-to the endless'chain 46.

The switch 42 is mounted outside the chamber l0and has an actuator arm 48 projecting into the chamber to detect a jamup of fabric at the end of the chamber. If the fabric jams up at the right end of the chamber 10, the actuator arm 48 will be pushed outwardly to deactivate all the drive mechanisms of the fluid treating apparatus.

A further safety mechanism in the form of a pivotally mounted rod 50 is rotatably mounted in the chamber walls and has a mercury switch 52 connected thereto at one end thereof. The rod 50 rides on the fabric 36 and will be pivoted upwardly in the passage of an abnormally large amount of fabric, such as a knot, thereunder to rotate the mercury switch 52 and deactivate all the drive mechanisms of the apparatus.

For reasons hereinafter explained, the endless chain 46 is mounted on the left hand of the chamber and is guided and supported by sprockets 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62. To drive the chain continuously, a separate drive means (not shown) is connected to one of the sprockets, such as 62, through a suitable connection such as shaft 64. Connected to the chain 46 is a swivel 65 to which is connected an eyebolt 66 to which is connected the leading end of the fabric 36. For reasons hereafter explained, a switch 68 is mounted in the path of travel of the swivel 65 and is activated on each revolution of the chain 46.

Supported exteriorly of the chamber 10 is a motor 70 which rotates the sprocket 28 to revolve the chain 26. The motor drives the sprocket through shaft 72, sprocket 74, chain 76, sprocket 78 and shaft 80. Connected to shaft 80 is another sprocket 82 which drives sprocket 84 through the chain 86.

Looking now to FIG. 4, the sprocket 84 is shown in detail. The sprocket 84 has a plurality of holes 87 into some of which are located pegs 88 which are screwed or otherwise secured therein. The number of holes in the sprocket determines the maximum number of convolutions of fabric that can be run. At the time, if it is desired to run less than the maximum number of convolutions, a predetermined number of pegs 88 are removed. As will hereinafter be explained, the pegs 88 cooperate with the activator arm 90 of switch 92 to control movement ofthe chain 26.

OPERATION Initially the leading edge 94 of the fabric is tied to the eyebolt 66 and the batch of fabric 36 is either placed in the tank 10 or held in a cart just outside the chamber 10. The drive for the winch roller 24 and the chain 46 is activated and the chain 46 is driven in an upward path pulling the fabric 36 therewith. As the fabric 36 moves upward, it will be pulled into the space 96 against the bias of leaf spring 98 attached to the rod member 38. When it has completely moved into the space 96 between the rods 34, the leaf spring will flip back against the stop plate 100 to close off the space 96 to prevent the fabric from jumping out of such space. The leading edge 94 of the fabric 36 is drawn over the guide roll 102 up to and onto the winch roll 24. Then as the fabric is drawn over the back of the winch roll 24, the switch 68 is activated by the swivel 62 to start the motor 70 to move the chain 26 towards the right-hand side of the tank 10. As the chain 26 moves to the right, the fabric in the space 96 will move to the right, moving the fabric on the winch roll 24 to the right. The conveyor 26 will continue to run until the sprocket 84 has moved from one peg 88 to the next adjacent peg 88 wherein the activator arm 90 of switch 92 will be engaged to deactivate the motor 70. The fabric 36 continues to be rotated around the winch roller 24 and back to the initial position of the eyebolt 66. This winding of the fabric continues with the intermittent displacement of the convolutions by the motor 70 with the winch roll 24 feeding the fabric down into the bath where it forms pleats 104 in each convolution. As the winch roll 24 forms pleats, the intermittent operation of the conveyor causes the fabric to form a helix with the trailing end 106 of the fabric being at the right end of the chamber in tank 10 when the apparatus is fully loaded.

As discussed briefly before, certain factors have to be determined before the fluid treating apparatus is loaded. Depending on the fabric being run, the removal or insertion of rods 34 must be selected to provide the proper spacing. The number and position of the pegs 88 must be determined to provide the amount of movement of the conveyor 26 to provide the desired spacing between convolutions and to accommodate various lengths of fabric less than the maximum capacity of the tank 10. Also the speed of the winch roll 24, conveyor chain 46 and the motor must be coordinated to provide the desired effect on the fabric being treated.

Once the above variables have been selected and the chamber 10 has been loaded, the operation continues with the fabric 36 continuously being drawn through its helical path with the helix unwinding at its trailing end and rewinding at its lead end 94 with the convolutions being advanced towards the trailing or right-hand end by the conveyor 26 in timed relation with unwinding and rewinding so that the position of the fabric helix remains substantially constant axially of the winch roll 24 and the helix is maintained at a constant length with its convolution of equal length.

It can readily be seen that a fluid treating apparatus has been provided which is very flexible and foolproof in that equipment is provided which allows the apparatus to be varied to accommodate various fabrics which differ in length and in width. Also, certain safeguards are provided to control the apparatus to prevent damage to the fabric and/or equipment upon the detection of an abnormal condition.

Although I have described in detail the preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that other advantages and modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art and therefore I desire to be limited only by the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a driven winch roller, guide means to guide fabric in rope form from the winch roller through the treating medium and back to the winch roller in the form of a helix so that the fabric unwinds at its trailing end and rewinds at its leading end, said guide means including an elongated endless conveyor below said winch roller, said conveyor having spaced projections extending outward therefrom to form spaces between adjacent projections, means to rotate said endless conveyor and means operably associated with said guide means to actuate said means to rotate said conveyor.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said means to rotate said conveyor includes a second means to' intermittently stop said conveyor.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said second means includes a sprocket with a predetermined number of apertures therein and pegs located in a selected number of said apertures.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said second means includes a switch means with an actuator projecting between two adjacent pegs in said sprocket.

5. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a driven winch roller, guide means to guide fabric in rope form from the winch roller through the treating medium and back to the winch roller in the form of a helix so that the fabric unwinds at its trailing end and rewinds at its leading end, said guide means including an elongated endless conveyor below said winch'roller, said conveyor having spaced projections extending outward to form spaces between adjacent projections, means to rotate said endless conveyor, and means operably associated with the outer extremities of said projections to close off the space between adjacent projections to prevent the fabric in rope form from jumping from one space into another.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said means to close off the spaces is an elongated rod member.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said rod member is rotatably mounted in said container and operably associated with a switch means to stop said drive means and said means to rotate said conveyor upon the detection of a knot or entanglement in the rope of fabric.

8. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a driven winch roller, guide means to guide fabric in rope form from the winch roller through the treating medium and back to the winch roller in the form of a helix so that the fabric unwinds at its trailing end and rewinds at its leading end, said guide means including an elongated endless conveyor below said winch roller, said conveyor having spaced rods extending outward to form spaces between rods, means removably supporting said rods in said conveyor, means to rotate said endless conveyor and means operably associated with the outer extremities of said rods to close off the space between adjacent projections to prevent the fabric in rope form from jumping from one space into another.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said means to close off the spaces is an elongated rod member.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said rod member is rotatably mounted in said container and operably associated with a switch means to stop said drive means and said means to rotate said conveyor upon the detection of a knot or entanglement in the rope of fabric.

11. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a winch roller rotatably supported in said container, an endless conveyor rotatably supported in said container below said winch roller, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced rods connected thereto and extending outwardly therefrom to provide open spaces between adjacent rods, an endless chain rotatably supported at one end of said container, means in said chain to support the leading edge of a rope of fabric, means continuously driving said winch roller and said endless chain, a second means to drive said endless conveyor, a switch means in the path of travel of said means to support the leading edge of the rope of fabric to activate said second drive means when engaged by said means, a second switch means operably associated with said second means to deactivate said second means after a predetermined length of time and a rod member supported in said container closely adjacent the outer ends of said spaced rods to close off the spaces between adjacent rods.

12. The structure of claim 11 wherein said rod member is rotatably mounted in said container and operably associated with a switch means to stop said drive means and said means to rotate said conveyor upon the detection of a knot or entanglement in the rope of fabric. 

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said means to rotate said conveyor includes a second means to intermittently stop said conveyor.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said second means includes a sprocket with a predetermined number of apertures therein and pegs located in a selecTed number of said apertures.
 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said second means includes a switch means with an actuator projecting between two adjacent pegs in said sprocket.
 5. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a driven winch roller, guide means to guide fabric in rope form from the winch roller through the treating medium and back to the winch roller in the form of a helix so that the fabric unwinds at its trailing end and rewinds at its leading end, said guide means including an elongated endless conveyor below said winch roller, said conveyor having spaced projections extending outward to form spaces between adjacent projections, means to rotate said endless conveyor, and means operably associated with the outer extremities of said projections to close off the space between adjacent projections to prevent the fabric in rope form from jumping from one space into another.
 6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said means to close off the spaces is an elongated rod member.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said rod member is rotatably mounted in said container and operably associated with a switch means to stop said drive means and said means to rotate said conveyor upon the detection of a knot or entanglement in the rope of fabric.
 8. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a driven winch roller, guide means to guide fabric in rope form from the winch roller through the treating medium and back to the winch roller in the form of a helix so that the fabric unwinds at its trailing end and rewinds at its leading end, said guide means including an elongated endless conveyor below said winch roller, said conveyor having spaced rods extending outward to form spaces between rods, means removably supporting said rods in said conveyor, means to rotate said endless conveyor and means operably associated with the outer extremities of said rods to close off the space between adjacent projections to prevent the fabric in rope form from jumping from one space into another.
 9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said means to close off the spaces is an elongated rod member.
 10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said rod member is rotatably mounted in said container and operably associated with a switch means to stop said drive means and said means to rotate said conveyor upon the detection of a knot or entanglement in the rope of fabric.
 11. Apparatus for treating fabric in ropelike form comprising: a container for a treating medium, a winch roller rotatably supported in said container, an endless conveyor rotatably supported in said container below said winch roller, said conveyor having a plurality of spaced rods connected thereto and extending outwardly therefrom to provide open spaces between adjacent rods, an endless chain rotatably supported at one end of said container, means in said chain to support the leading edge of a rope of fabric, means continuously driving said winch roller and said endless chain, a second means to drive said endless conveyor, a switch means in the path of travel of said means to support the leading edge of the rope of fabric to activate said second drive means when engaged by said means, a second switch means operably associated with said second means to deactivate said second means after a predetermined length of time and a rod member supported in said container closely adjacent the outer ends of said spaced rods to close off the spaces between adjacent rods.
 12. The structure of claim 11 wherein said rod member is rotatably mounted in said container and operably associated with a switch means to stop said drive means and said means to rotate said conveyor upon the detection of a knot or entanglement in the rope of fabric. 